The present invention generally relates to vascular access products such as intravenous (IV) administration tubing, catheters and the associated caps, luers, Y sites, connectors, drip chambers, peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) lines, stopcocks and similar IV components.
Vascular access products such as IV administration tubing, catheters and the associated caps, luers, Y sites, connectors, drip chambers, PICC lines, stopcocks and similar IV components such as needleless IV connectors having valve mechanisms are known in the art. Examples of such vascular access products are available from Health Line Medical Products of Centerville, Utah, and are visible on their website at www.hlic.net.
An example of a valve mechanism for a needleless IV connector is the medical valve described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,866 assigned to ICU Medical, Inc. who also makes such needleless IV connectors under the trademark MicroClave®. One of the MicroClave® needleless IV connectors is available with an antimicrobial treatment, where the antimicrobial treatment consists of ionic silver. Such ionic silver, however, is subject to leaching over time.